Combined seat and life-raft.



PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

0. dz 0. S. TAYLOR. COMBINED SEAT AND LIFE RAFT.

APPLICATION TILED APILZZ, 1905.

CECIL TA YLCR AND CHARLES STANLEY TAYLOR, OF DRAYTCN, CANADA.

COMBINED SEAT AND [LIFE-RAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 3, 1906.

Application filed April 22, 1905. Serial No. 256,910-

.Z'e all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, OEoIL TAYLOR and CHARLES STANLEY TAYLOR, farmers,of the town of Drayton, in the county of l/Vellington and Province ofOntario, Canada, have jointly invented a new and useful Improvement in aCombined Seat and Life-Raft, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of our invention. are to construct a seat and life-raftcombined, whereby the device may be utilized as a convenient seatadaptable to be placed on the decks of vessels and may be readilyrearranged into such. form that it may be used as a life-raft in theevent of an emergency.

The device is so constructed that in appearance it will represent twoordinary deck-seats placed back to back, the backs and seat parts beingin all respects similar to an ordinary deck-seat. In our device and forthispurpose we hinge the backs to the seat parts and couple the twoedges of the backs together byhinges. Incased in the framework of eachof the seat parts are air-tight compartments by which the device may berendered buoyant .in. the event of being placed or thrown into thewater. hen the device is to be used as a liferaft, a fastening by whichthe two seat parts are relatively held together is unfastened, whichallows the two seat p arts to be separated sufficiently to allow thebacks to lower'into a horizontal position, and the parts are maintainedand supported in this position by hinged brace-bars pivoted to the endsof the seat parts.

We attain these objects by the device as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of the device arrangedto form a seat, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the devicerearranged to provide a life-raft.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the specification anddrawings.

In Fig. l of the drawings is shown the device arranged as a seat, ormore particularly shown as two seats (back to back) a and a, consistingin each case, essentially, a seat part b l) with reclining backs c c.The two seats a and a are arranged in parallel relation to one another,the backs c and 0 being adjacent and are coupled together at their topedges by a series of hinges d, and the lower edges being hinged to theback edge of the seat parts l) b by similar hinges e. The backs c 0consist of a rectangular-slatted structure formed by a series ofuprights f, joined together by a series of parallel cross-slats g. Theslats are bolted to the uprights so as to leave a space between each ofthe slats. The hinges d and e are preferably fastened to the ends of theuprights f, so that when the backs are let down to form the deck for theraft the uprights f act as cross-supports. As shown in the drawings, theseat parts 5 b are made up of a framework-base circular in cross-sectionbut we do not wish to confine ourselves to the circular form, as squareor any other shape may be used. The base is divided into two parts h and7t, formed by the ends i and i and the center i, the ends and centerbeing shown in a circular form, which may be made or constructed fromwood or metal, wood being the preferable. Fastened to the periphery ofthe ends i i and center i and extending the entire length of the seatparts are a series of slats y. By the slats and ends a frame is formedfor the seat parts, and in each half of the frame is contained anair-tight chamber and 7c. The chambers 7i: and may be made of metal,wood, or fabric, metal being the preferable. They are to be perfectlyair-tight to render the device buoyant when in the water. Fastened tothe bottom edge of the ends i and t are feet Z, by which the seats maybe set and prevented from rolling or tilting. Fastened to the back ofone of the seat parts is ahook-bar m, and fastened to the back of theother seat part in opposite relation is an eyebolt n, and by fasteningthe hook-bar into the eyebolt the two seat parts are held in properrelation to one another and are maintained in their arrangement as aseat. Pivoted to each of the ends ii and t" z" of the seat parts I) andb are hinged brace-bars 0. The brace-bars 0 are for the purpose ofmaintaining the two frame parts of the seats in vertical position andalso the necessary interval apart when the device is arranged as alife-raft. Bolted or fastened to the upper part and projecting outwardfrom the front face of the backs c and 0 near each end, and preferablyfastened to the uprights f, are brace-plates 29, and pivoted at thejoints of the two end uprights f of each of the backs c and c is alever-plate q. Connected with each. of the lever-plates g and each ofthe brace'plates 19 is a coiled spring 1". By the aid of the springs thebacks are to a certain extent maintained in their horizontal posi- ITOtion. IVhen the backs are let down to form the deck of the raft, thesprings also aid to force the backs downward when the hooks m arereleased from the eyebolts n.

By reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be seen the device hasbeen rearranged to form a life-raft andthat the hook-bar m has beenunhooked from the eyebolt a to allow the two seat parts I) and b to beseparated apart until the backs have opened out into a horizontalposition and also into the one plane to form a slatted deck for theraft. hen the backs are being let down, the outward movement of the seatparts is checked when they reach the one plane, and at the same time theseat parts are being moved apart the brace-bars drop down into ahorizontal position and parallel with the plane of the backs, wherebythey act as braces to the backs that form the deck and also maintain thetwo seat parts in an erect and in a proper relative position apart. Theyalso in bracing the backs prevent the backs sagging in the middle.

I/Vhen the'device is re arranged into the form of a raft, the backs andseat arts will be in one plane, and the backs wil be prevented frombuckling up in the center by the downward pressure maintained by thesprings 1'.

It will be understood that the forms or sizes of the air-chambers may bevaried without deviating from the nature of our invention.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a combined seat and life-raft, two seat parts arranged in parallelrelation to one an other, air-tight chambers fastened within a frameworkcomprising the base of the said seat part, a slatted back hinged to eachof the said seat parts, the said slatted backs being hinged togetheralong their upper and adj a cent edges, a hook-bar fastened to the saidseat parts and adapted to maintain the said seat parts and backs in thearrangement as a seat, a brace-bar fastened to the ends of the said seatparts and adapted to maintain the parts in the rearrangement asalife-raft, coiled springs fastened to plates and lever-arms arranged incombination at the junction of the said backs, being adapted to maintainthe backs in one plane when arranged to form the deck of the said raft,as and for the purpose specified.

Signed at Drayton this 18th day of April,

CECIL TAYLOR. CHARLES STANLEY TAYLOR. In presence of R. H. ASHBURY, J.M. KEARNS.

